"Despite the documented evidence of chess historian H.J.R. Murray, I have always thought that chess was invented by a goddess."
George Koltonowski, from Women in Chess, Players of the Modern Game

Monday, February 3, 2014

ASOR Qualifies for $475,000 Pledge!!!

Whoop whoop! They did it, folks. Actually, you did it, and lots of people like you (and me, albeit just a small amount). Numbers do count! Prior post. BTW, ASOR stands for the American Schools of Oriental Research at Boston University :)

Four months ago, an anonymous ASOR trustee gave ASOR a legacy gift of a transformative nature—its current market value is $475,000. But ASOR was also given a challenge in order to qualify: raise $200,000 from 300 different donors by January 31, 2014. Today, we’re thrilled to announce that we did it! In fact, we more than “did it”: we raised an astonishing $258,775—29% over our goal—with donations from 321 of ASOR's devoted members and friends.Truth be told, just two weeks ago, I wasn't so sure that we would make it. On January 15, we had received contributions from only 199 donors, considerably fewer than the 300 we needed, and even by January 24, one week before the deadline, we still needed 79 more people to give. It wasn't looking good. But I never should have doubted. You—our members, our associates, and our friends—care deeply about ASOR, and when we needed your help, you were right there.

And I really mean “right there.” One night, I e-mailed one of you at 6:33 pm, and by 8:23, you had given a donation. That same night, late, I sent an e-mail to another potential donor; by the next morning, there was a gift. Every member of our Board of Trustees stepped forward to help us meet this challenge, as did every chair of our several standing committees. Many, many of our committee members, our annual meeting session chairs, and the editors of our various publications–people who already give so much to ASOR in terms of their time and effort–gave generously from their pocketbooks as well. And over and over, when you wrote to me agreeing to make a donation, you told me how happy you were to do so, because ASOR meant so much to you–professionally, intellectually, and socially.

So, to all 321 of you, thank you so much, and I know that all of us want also to thank the donor who made the $475,000 gift that set us forth on this challenge in the first place. Not only is the gift itself transformative—and we can all now begin to dream about the future for ASOR that it will make possible—but in meeting the challenge with which the gift came, we have been transformed, as we have been called to be the best we can be: a community of loyal and dedicated members, associates, and friends who share a deep and abiding commitment to our extraordinary organization.

Our Commitment to Chess

Scholarships for Chess Femmes

Our Commitment to Chess

2012 Goddesschess Canadian Women's Closed Chess Championship

2014 SPONSORSHIPS

Hales Corners Chess Challenge XIXApril 12, 2014Milwaukee, WIPrizes for female players in Open and Reserve sections and paid entry to next HCCC for top female finisher in each section. This is Goddesschess' 12th HCCC!

Goddesschess Fighting Spirit Award

2013 U.S. Women's Chess Championship

2013 SPONSORSHIPS

Hales Corners Chess Challenge XVIIIOctober 12, 2013Milwaukee, WIRecord prize money awarded to chess femmes - $800!In honor of National Chess Day and the one year anniversary of the passing of our webmaster, researcher and writer, Don McLean, additional prizes of $150 were awarded to the top two male finishers in each Section.Milwaukee Summer Challenge IIJune 15 - 16, 2013Milwaukee, WIPrizes for the chess femmes and funding a best game prize

Search This Blog

"Advanced Chess" Leon 2002

About Me

I'm one of the founders of Goddesschess, which went online May 6, 1999. I earned an under-graduate degree in history and economics going to college part-time nights, weekends and summer school while working full-time, and went on to earn a post-graduate degree (J.D.) I love the challenge of research, and spend my spare time reading and writing about my favorite subjects, travelling and working in my gardens. My family and my friends are most important in my life. For the second half of my life, I'm focusing on "doable" things to help local chess initiatives, starting in my own home town. And I'm experiencing a sort of personal "Renaissance" that is leaving me rather breathless...